Curfew for boy, 11, charged with robbery

By Les KennedyOctober 2 2002

An 11-year-old boy charged with armed robbery with scissors asked in a meek baby voice if he could still play with the brothers of his co-accused after a magistrate yesterday told him not to associate with the teenager.

Looking three years younger than his age, the boy smiled as he entered the court accompanied by Department of Community Services officers to face charges of robbing the Vee Jaes restaurant at Ramsgate on Saturday night.

Magistrate Chris McRobert was told that he lived with his grandparents, it was his first brush with the law and that he would plead not guilty.

But Mr McRobert was concerned that the boy, along with his 14-year-old co-accused, had been roaming the streets at 10pm.

The boy was ordered not to leave home between 6pm and 7am unless under supervision, not to go near the restaurant or associate with his co-accused.");document.write("

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"Do you understand what that means, not to see the co-accused?" Mr McRobert asked in a soft voice.

The boy nodded, gave a shy smile and agreed before asking: "Am I allowed to see his brothers?"

"I think it is probably a good idea not to see his brothers, because if you see them, you may see him," Mr McRobert said..

Minutes earlier, his co-accused was granted bail on similar conditions. The court heard that 12 days before the restaurant was robbed, the teenager was put on a good behaviour bond on charges relating to burglary and drugs.

The magistrate warned the teenager: "If you think you did well getting off on a good behaviour bond two weeks ago, you won't now."